Glow path regulator



Sept. 29, 1942. A. GRANTZEL GLOW PATH REGULATOR Filed Fb. 24, 1940 Attorney.

Patented Sept. 29, 1942 GLOW PATH REGULATOR Alfred Griintzel, Jena, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application February 24, 1940, Serial No. 320,645 In Germany February 28, 1939 18 Claims.

My invention relates to a new glow path regulator.

For maintaining constant voltage hitherto glow path regulators have been manufactured to have a maximum output of 200 to 300 ma. Since the greatest ones already have large dimensions, greater outputs up to a value of about 1ampere, to be obtained according to the system used hitherto, would require undesirably large dimensions of the various parts for conducting away the heat energy produced during operation. About 1 ampere is the output nowadays required for many purposes.

It is not always possible to enlarge the dimensions of a glow path regulator to correspond to the output, as the space available for the glow path regulators is in many cases confined.

Therefore there is a necessity for a glow path regulator of large power and small dimensions. Small dimensions give the further advantage that the expensive filling gas may be saved.

For these purposes according to the invention there is provided an annular cylindrical body preferably manufactured from hard glass with cylindrical walls having a relatively short distance one from the other the electrodes of the glow path being disposed each parallel to and distant from the adjacent wall inside of the vacuum tight annular body. The annular structure afiords an axial cooling space through which a cooling air draft may pass. This structure affords approximately a doubling of the cooling surface with no increase in external dimensions.

As examples for my improved glow path regulator I shall describe two embodiments, reierring to the accompanying drawing.

Figs. 1 and 2 show fragmental longitudinal of the respective embodiments.

Fig. 1 shows a double walled glass body I, the longitudinal section of which is of U-form downwardly open. The hollow opened end part I may also be directed towards the top. In this latter case the heat conduction is better as the heated air escapes easier towards the top. In any case the leads leading to the electrodes are introduced to the annular space from the outside through the hollow opened part.

Fig. 2 shows my glow path regulator in a form affording the best. heat conduction from the discharge space to the atmosphere. For this purpose the annular body is designed as a double walled cylinder, the axial hollow part being open towards both ends so as toallow a. cooling air draft to pass therethrough easily.

In Fig. 2, the annular glass body la provides an annular discharge chamber lb having cylindrical walls and in part similar to the cup-shaped discharge chamber lc of Fig. 1. Both chambers have electrodes such as the glow electrodes 5, 6, 1 and 8 of Fig. 2 preferably consisting of aluminum sheets having impressed portions 8a engaged in niches 8b in the inner wall. The Walls of the double walled glass cylinder are arranged approximately 0.1 inch from each other as indicated in Fig. 2. By joining glow paths in series, as shown, glow path regulators of any high voltage can be produced.

The glow path regulator consists of two stages joined in series; therefore the electrodes 6 and I are connected. Should for economy of the production only a few types be provided, several glow path regulators may be stacked up one over the other and held by a clamping connecting ring 8d as indicated in Fig. 2. It is advantageous to have the lead-in wires l3 of the electrodes for the upper glow path regulator id of the stack to pass through the lower open end I! of the lowest glow path regulator la.

The conductors leading to the electrodes preferably consist of small nickel strips 9, I fl and H riveted to the aluminum electrodes and disposed in glass tubes l2 and connected to leadin wires l3 sealed in the ends 2, 3, 4 of the glass tubes [2.

The glass tubes l2 communicate with the inner annular chamber of the U shaped annular body at points remote from said open end. It is noted that this junction is shielded by the electrode from the discharge space between the electrodes so as to prevent the glow discharge from penetrating into the tubes l2, thus protecting the strips. 9, l0 and H. For this purpose the junction is located approximately in the central part of therear of the electrode 5 as shown in the arrangement of Fig. 2.

It should be observed that the introduction of lead-in wires for the electrodes according to the arrangement described in Fig. 2 avoids the use of the press generally used for glow path regulators, since that press known per se is undesirably exposed to the whole of the heat developed during operation.

The arrangement according tothe invention as described and illustrated has only a small inner discharge space compared with its external dimensions. It results therefrom that the amount of gas filling is relatively small. .This feature is desirable for glow path regulators necessitating generally a pressure of 50 to mm.

Hg, i. e., the gases for which are sometimes very expensive, as, for instance, krypton.

The voltages obtained with glow path regulators depend on the nature of the gas filling used, each gas having a particular cathode drop. By using a mixture of several different gases and by the right choice of this mixture any intermediate value may be obtained. It is, however, not easy to obtain with a suflicient accuracy any predetermined value of voltage, since gases occluded within the electrodes are liberated and penetrate into the discharge chamber when heated to high temperatures during operation, thus altering the actual gas pressure.

on the other hand it is impossible to keep the glow path regulators connected to the pump and to load them before they are sealed off from the pump, after they have reached a constant value of voltage.

In accordance with an additional development of the invention for the glow path regulators described above the following method may be used to obtain a predetermined value of voltage:

The glass bodies of the glow path regulators are supplied with a small U-tube and filled with two different gases of difierent cathode drops. Thereafter the glass bodies will be sealed off and then operated at full load continuously about 100 hours. This is the time generally needed to insure a constant voltage for continuous operation. If the glow path regulator shall then have a voltage lying between the values of Voltage of the two gases applied only one of the fillgases is to be condensed or absorbed by means of the above mentioned U-tube, until the intermediate value required is obtained. For this purpose liquid air .or liquid air and absorption coal may be applied. Then the U-tube may be sealed off. The sealing off is to be performed whilst the tube is operating at the time when the voltmeter indicates the value of voltage desired. In that way any intermediate value of voltage wanted may be produced within limited tolerance and practically without any loss, whereas in using the heretofore known production methods there is a loss of 60% if the accuracy of voltage shall be within 1 /2%.

My above method is not only suitable for glow path regulators of great output but is of special importance for the arrangements shown which cause the smallest loss in the production.

I am aware of an electric regulator comprising in combination a tube having an annular vacuum, gas, or vapor chamber extending substantially from electrode to electrode of said tube, and electromagnets in operative relation with said chamber, the field of which magnet is impressed on the conducting path between the electrodes of said chamber and of which one is placed within the central hollow portion of the annular tube. My invention should not to be confused with this known arrangement within which the electrodes are not at all arranged as in my invention and which cannot have a cooling air draft passing through the hollow central portion.

That what I claim is:

1. A glow path regulator comprising a glass envelope forming a thin discharge chamber and having closely spaced walls, the walls being in contact with open cooling spaces; two sheet metal electrodes within the chamber each electrode being disposed flat against areas of the respective walls of the chamber to provide faces of the electrode in contact with faces of the envelope; an intermediate electrode having end portions oifset in order for opposite end portions thereof to engage opposite walls of the chamber, and each portion respectively positioned to be spaced opposite one of the other electrodes.

2. A regulator as in claim 1 comprising tubes each communicating with said chamber through a wall thereof at a point within the margin of the area of contact of the respective electrodes with the inner wall, whereby the tubes are closed by the electrodes from the chamber; lead-in conductors sealed in the end portions of the respective tubes and secured to the respective electrodes.

3. A regulator as in claim 1, one of said faces at each of said areas being provided with a recess, each adjacent contacting face having a projection engaged in the recess.

4. A glow path regulator comprising a glass envelope forming an annular discharge chamber and including closely spaced walls; a pair of sheet metal end electrodes within the chamber disposed flat against the respective walls at opposite ends of the chamber and extending to near each other; an intermediate electrode having end portions of diirerent diameter and oifset to engage opposite walls of the chamber, and respectively positioned to be spaced opposite the end electrodes; and supply conductors connected to the respective electrodes.

5. A glow path regulator comprising a glass annular envelope forming a discharge chamber and including coaxial closely spaced walls, the inner walls surrounding an axial hollow cooling space open at one or both ends; a pair of sheet metal electrodes within the chamber disposed flat against and around the respective walls, the electrodes being at opposite ends of the chamber and extending to near each other; an intermediate annular electrode having end portions of different diameter and offset to engage opposite walls of the chamber, and respectively positioned to be spaced opposite the end electrodes; tubes communicating with said chamber through the inner wall at points within the margins of the area of contact of the respective electrodes with the inner wall, whereby the tubes are closed by the electrodes from the chamber, the tubes extending in the same direction longitudinally of the cooling space to the exterior thereof; lead-in wires sealed in the ends of the respective tubes; and fiat conductor strips in the tubes secured to the wires and riveted to the respective electrodes.

6. A regulator as in claim 5, said inner wall at each of said electrodes being provided with a recess, each adjacent electrode having a projection engaged in the recess.

7. A stack of vertically alined glass annular envelopes, each envelope forming a discharge chamber and including a glass annular envelope forming a discharge chamber and including 00- axial closely spaced walls, the inner walls surrounding an axial hollow cooling space open at both ends; the outer wall having a slightly projecting rib at each end; a sheet metal ring surrounding adjacent ends of the envelopes and provided with spaced parallel inner annular grooves respectively receiving adjacent ribs; a pair of sheet metal electrodes within each chamber disposed flat against and around the respective walls.

8. A stack as in claim 7, tubes communicating with each chamber through the inner wall at points within th margins of the area of contact of the respective electrodes with the inner wall,

whereby the tubes are closed by the electrodes from the chamber, the tubes extending in the same direction longitudinally of the cooling spaces to the exterior of an end cooling space; and supply conductors sealed in the ends of the respective tubes and secured to the respective electrodes.

9. A glow path regulator comprising a double walled glass body having cylindrical walls and forming an annular discharge chamber closed off from the atmosphere in a vacuum tight manner; pairs of inner and outer electrodes disposed each parallel to and distant from an opposite cylindrical wall inside of said chamber, an outer electrode being connected to an inner electrode of the next pair, the central axial portion of the body being hollow, a gas filling in said chamber having pressure insuring a glow discharge; and supplies for said electrodes.

10. A glow path regulator for the maintenance of constant voltage comprising an annular glass envelope having a passage for cooling air, th envelope having double walls to enclose an annular chamber; a gas filling within said chamber for enabling a glow discharge therein; a plurality of pairs of cylindrical electrodes arranged in series axially within like annular chambers, the cathodes being disposed against the outer of said double walls and the anodes against the inner wall; the cathode of one pair being connected with th anode of an adjacent pair by means of a truncated conical restriction so that th glow discharge from one pair is cut off from that of an adjacent pair.

11. In an electronic tube an envelope forming an annular chamber and including outer and inner walls, the inner wall enclosing a central open space, and lead tubes communicating with said chamber and positioned within said space whereby the lead tubes are protected by the envelope against damage.

12. A multiple stage voltage drop regulator comprising a glass envelope forming a discharge chamber and having two oppositely spaced walls in contact with exterior cooling spaces; a pair of sheet metal end electrodes within the chamber disposed flat against the respective walls at opposite ends of the chamber; and an intermediate electrode mounted for operation in series with said end electrodes and having end portions of different offset to engage opposite walls of the chamber for conduction of heat thereto, and respectively positioned opposite the end electrodes in spaced relation thereto.

13. A multiple stage voltage drop regulator comprising a glass envelope forming a discharge chamber and having two opposite closely spaced walls in contact with exterior cooling spaces; a pair of sheet metal end electrodes within the chamber disposed fiat against the respective walls at opposite ends of the chamber; and an intermediate electrode having end portions and a middle ofiset portion so the respective end portions engage opposite walls of the chamber, the end portions being spaced opposite the end electrodes; said walls being closely spaced to reduce the area of said offset portion in order that the intermediate electrode may operate at substantially normal current density.

14. A regulator as in claim 13 said walls being about 0.1 inch apart.

15. A method for producing glow path regulators, said method comprising placing against one face of a dielectric tube separated tubular electrode members one of which has a tubular portion engaging said face; and an offset tubular portion operatively adjacently spaced facetoface from the exposed face of another member; placing an additional tubular electrode member against a face of another dielectric tube; and placing said last named tube with its said face against the face of said off-set portion most remote from said exposed face, and with said additional member operatively adjacently spaced face-to-face from said portion engaging the first named face; and fusing the respective ends of the tubes together to form a chamber containing the electrodes.

16. An electronic tube comprising, in combination an annular envelope having inner and outer walls and forming an annular chamber, the inner wall surrounding a central open space; and provided with a plurality of ports; a like number of lead tubes within said space communicating with said chamber and sealed on to the inner wall at each of the respective ports; a like number of sheet metal electrodes mounted within said chamber, each electrode having a portion thereof covering one of the respective ports, and supply conductors sealed in the ends of said tubes and secured to the respectiv electrodes.

1'7. In an electronic tube, an envelope forming an annular chamber and including inner and outer walls, the inner wall surrounding a central space open at both ends and adapted to receive a cooling fluid; and lead-in tubes communicating with said chamber through the inner ,wall at points remote from each other and positioned within said space whereby the tubes may be in contact with a cooling fluid and form an envelope free of radial projections to be endangered of breakage.

18. In an electronic tube, an elongated envelope forming a narrow annular chamber and including closely spaced inner and outer walls; the inner wall surrounding a central cooling space open at an end and adapted to receive a cooling fluid; and lead tubes communicating with said chamber through said inner wall at points well within said space, one end portion of each lead tube terminating flush with the surface of said inner wall within the chamber and the remaining portion of the tubes projecting longitudinally in said cooling space through said open end and terminating with tips adapted to be sealed off in a vacuum tight manner, thereby exposing substantially all the outer surface of the lead tubes for cooling by a cooling fluid.

ALFRED GRAN'I'ZEL. 

